Machines such as, for example, excavators, wheel loaders, dozers, backhoes, dump trucks, and other heavy equipment are used to perform many tasks such as, for example, loading a bucket, digging a trench, compacting soil, etc. Each of these tasks imposes unique demands on various systems of the machine. For example, an optimal distribution of hydraulic fluid among various components of the machine during a bucket loading operation may be different from an optimal distribution of hydraulic fluid during a trench digging operation. In addition, an optimal sensitivity for operator input devices during a bucket loading operation may be different from an optimal sensitivity for operator input devices during a trench digging operation. If a machine were able to automatically determine its current operating mode, it might be able to adjust the various systems for optimal performance.
One example of a machine that identifies a current operating mode and adjusts various systems for optimal performance can be found in U.S. Patent Publication No. US2005/0283295 (the '295 publication) by Normann on Dec. 22, 2005. The '295 publication discloses a skid steer loader having an operating mode identification system. The system receives data related to a current operating mode and creates a current application signature. The identification system compares this current application signature to stored application signatures relating to various operating modes of the skid steer loader. The stored signature that most closely matches the current application signature is determined to be the current operating mode, and the system adjusts various machine parameters according to the operating mode identification.
Although the system disclosed in the '295 publication may identify a current operating mode of the machine, the accuracy of the system may be limited. In particular, only one current application signature is calculated from the current data. However, under some conditions, data from different machine parameters may identify different operating modes as the current operating mode. Calculating only one application signature from the current data may include conflicting data that may taint the comparison and may cause the system to identify the wrong operating mode. If the wrong operating mode is identified, adjusting the parameters of the machine accordingly may adversely affect the operation of the machine.
The disclosed system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.